Guess Who I Brought to Dinner
by RED78910
Summary: It has been two weeks since the Battle of the Citadel, and Jessica Shepard finally has some time to herself. When she finds out that her mother does as well, she immediately asks her mom if she want to see her and meet her new asari girlfriend Liara T'Soni. When Hannah accepts though, Liara's not sure how things will go.


**A/N: **A special thank you goes out to **Desert Sunrise **for their hard Beta work with this story. If you have not yet checked out their '**Chronicles of Samantha Shepard' **series, you really should.

* * *

**Guess Who I Brought to Dinner**

"Jessica? Are you sure this is appropriate to wear?"

Liara T'Soni stood in front of a mirror looking over the outfit she had chosen for the occasion. The dress was silver in color, and hugged her features to display her curves rather nicely, and her arms and shoulders were left bare by the garment. A conservative dress as far as asari went, as Liara's species often wore clothing that displayed rather generous amounts of skin by human standards. It was not that Liara was afraid of what she looked like to most humans, but there was one woman in particular she wished to impress tonight.

_Please Goddess, just let her not hate me._

Jessica Shepard walked up behind Liara and wrapped her arms around her lover and planted a kiss on her cheek. "Are you kidding? You look absolutely amazing in that."

Jessica was a tall woman, standing just over six feet, had blue eyes, light colored skin, and fiery red hair. She wore her dress blue uniform, with three half-inch gold stripes on her shoulder boards signifying her new rank as a full Commander. She was still getting used to the promotion, even after the two weeks it had been since the Battle of the Citadel where she had managed to stop the galaxy from being invaded by an armada of ancient alien death machines.

Liara turned around to face her, "Jessica, you once told me I looked sexy when I was in a lab coat."

Shepard smirked, "And I meant every word of it."

Liara frowned and looked at her feet, "I just want to impress her. She's your mother and-"

Jessica put a hand under Liara's chin and brought the asari's face up so she was looking at her, "Yes, she is. And I know for a fact that everything is going to be fine. And you know why?"

Liara shook her head.

"Because nobody could ever not love someone like you, Liara."

That seemed to calm the asari down a bit. Shepard kissed her more before the two left the hotel room and headed to the restaurant they were supposed to meet Captain Hannah Shepard.

As they drove through the metropolis that was New York City, Liara could not help but look out on all that the humans had built. Long rows of building and skyscrapers glowed brightly against the backdrop of the night sky. Long neat rows of traffic flowed through the air, and so many people were always walking along the streets. Shepard had told her New York was described as the 'city that never sleeps.' She could see why.

_And to think that less than one asari lifetime ago none of this even existed._

Liara was now truly beginning to understand why humans had become so powerful so quickly. They did more in 10 years then most asari did in 100, and in 1000 more years they may even surpass the asari in terms of technological advancement, if this was the speed at which they developed.

For just a moment, Liara looked over and admired Jessica as she piloted the skycar they had rented, "Why don't you wear that uniform more often? You look so...so...what's the word? Handsome?"

Jessica laughed, "Heh, not quite a word often used with women, but I'll take it." She looked over to the asari, "Have you ever been in a dress uniform? It's not very comfortable and everyone is always looking at you. When you're out in public, everyone just stares at you most of the time, and when you're on a base everyone is always looking to see if something is wrong with it. It's not something you just decide to wear one day for fun."

"Then why are you wearing it?"

Shepard sighed, "Honestly? It's the only thing I have to wear that would be acceptable where we're headed. I'm not usually a formal dress person, Li; baggy pants and jackets are more my style."

Liara was still admiring Jessica, "Still. You should wear things like this more often. You do look amazing tonight."

They drove for a few more minutes before they arrived at the restaurant. It was a single-story building that had a vast parking lot that was nearly filled to capacity, a large fountain in front that had benches around it, as well as an iron fence. Shepard parked the car and circled around it to open the car door for Liara, offering her a hand, "My lady."

Liara chuckled and accepted Jessica's hand. They walked to the restaurant, arms intertwined, and Liara's confidence began to shrink with every step, so many negative thoughts racing in her head. What if Shepard's mother hated her? What if she said something stupid and embarrassing, like she had so many times before in her life. What if-

"Are you ok?"

Liara turned her head and faced Jessica, who asked her again with an expression of genuine concern on her face, "Liara, are you alright?"

They were just a few feet from the door now. Several people walking by them. A few seemed to recognize them, but still they did nothing more than stare for a few minutes before walking by.

Liara took a deep breath and answered, "I'm still just nervous is all. She is your mother Shepard. I want this to go well and-"

Jessica held Liara's hands firmly in hers and reassured her, "It will, and even if it doesn't, what's the big deal? No matter what happens, it won't change how we feel about each other."

Liara said, "I know. I know, it's just...I...I-"

Jessica smirked and told her, "You worry too much. Come on."

The couple entered the restaurant. It was nearly full, with only a few tables left unoccupied. The room covered a large expanse, with several dozen tables of various sizes spread out from one end of the room to the other. Most of the patrons were human, though Liara was relieved to see a few asari here or there, indicating she would not stand out too much.

Jessica looked around for a few minutes before spotting who she was looking for; a woman dressed in a black suit who was had stood as the couple walked into the restaurant.

With a smile on her face, Jessica Shepard walked over and hugged her mother as tightly as she possibly could, "Mom!" After a few moments the two Shepards looked over each other. Hannah's eyes were starting to water as she greeted her daughter, "It's...damn good seeing you again, Jess. Damn good."

Jessica smiled. She was so glad to see her mother again. It had been years since they had seen each other face to face; they only ever kept in contact through a few short audio or textual messages every few months. To be here with her again...it truly made Jessica happy.

Stepping back, Jessica put her hand on Liara's back, urged her closer so that she was standing right in front of Hannah, and introduced the two, "Mom, this is Doctor Liara T'Soni, my girlfriend. Liara. This is Captain Hannah Shepard, acting Captain of the Kilimanjaro and my mother."

Liara took a deep breath and extended her hand, a greeting she had grown accustomed to since joining Shepard, "I am honored to meet you, Captain. Your daughter tells me many good things about you."

Hannah Shepard, though being old enough to have a fully grown daughter, still looked very young for a woman her age. She was almost as tall as her daughter, had a rather muscular build to her, long brown hair that went past her shoulders, and brown eyes.

The Captain accepted Liara's hand and shook it firmly. She said in a somewhat awkward voice, "All good things I hope?"

Liara nodded, "Oh, of course! You have made quite the impression on her. I mean...that is…"

Liara trailed off.

Jessica just laughed, "Come on; let's sit down before they give our table away."

The three sat down on the table, with Hannah sitting on Liara's left, and Jessica on her right. A waiter arrived promptly and took their drink orders before disappearing again, rather quickly.

Liara felt a little embarrassed at her failure to speak properly earlier, so she was hesitant to say anything. Similarly, she could see the looks Hannah was giving both herself and Jessica.

Though it didn't seem to Liara like outright disappointment or anger, she was not comforted by it just the same. When Hannah spoke to her daughter after a few moments of silence, Liara was relieved she would not be forced to make the first moves in opening the conversation.

"So Jessica," the captain asked with a warm smile on her face, "how does it feel to be a Commander now? Two more promotions and I'll be saluting you."

Jessica laughed and shrugged, "Well, feels no different really. I'm still the captain of my ship, still have a team I trust, and I still have Liara with me. So really, it makes no difference."

Hannah's smile shortened a bit at that. She seemed conflicted for a few moments, as if struggling with whether or not to say something. Eventually she asked her daughter a question Liara knew would come, and one she would hate the answer to. "So Jessica, how um...How did you and Liara meet?"

The couple looked at each other and Liara blushed slightly. Both of them started to talk, but Jessica let Liara explain things first.

Taking a breath Liara started, "Well, Captain Shepard, your daughter actually saved my life the first time we met. You see, Saren had sent a krogan Battlemaster and a Geth contingent to capture me."

Hannah asked, "Why? What would he want with you?"

Liara replied, "I honestly don't know. Maybe it was because I'm an archaeologist who specializes in Protheans and he thought it would help him achieve his goals. Maybe my mother wanted me by her side in her plans." Liara shrugged, "We'll never know now."

Hannah looked confused for a moment, "Your mother?"

Liara felt a pang of guilt and answered in a quiet voice, "Yes. My mother was Matriarch Benezia. The asari that aligned herself with Saren. An asari that will now go down in history as one of the greatest traitors to my kind." Liara felt her eyes beginning to water; it was beginning to be too much to keep in as memories of Noveria began to flood back into her mind.

Liara rose from the table, "Excuse me, I...I need a few moments." With that, Liara left the room and headed outside.

* * *

Captain Hannah Shepard watched as the asari left the building. She was in a slight state of shock. First from finding out her daughter had a girlfriend that was also an asari, and now that same asari seemed to have some very personal issues. Hannah was not ever one to judge such things however. She had seen many people with troubled lives and emotional pasts. She had always done everything in her power to make sure the people under her command got the help they needed. It was not always enough, but she did what she could.

So, when Liara was out of earshot Hannah could not help but ask, "Jessica, is...is she going to be alright?"

Jessica had a pained expression on her face as she watched Liara go. She turned back to her mom and answered, "She'll need some time. Noveria...didn't go well for her. Or anyone for that matter."

Hannah thought for a few moments before asking a question. One she was curious about, but not sure she needed to know. Hesitantly, she asked her daughter a very simple question,

"What happened up there?"

Jessica looked at her mother with look that said she would rather not tell her, "Well, what did you hear?"

Hannah shrugged, "Not much. I heard that Saren or one of his top lieutenants was spotted there. I heard that you and your team went in there, killed everyone and everything you found, and after that? Nothing."

Shepard looked back at her mother with eyes that seemed...hollow. Like the person that should be behind them was gone now. Eventually, Jessica breathed out and answered her mother, "I trust you can keep a few secrets?" Hannah nodded.

Jessica continued, "We received word Benezia, Liara's mother, was on Noveria, so we tracked her down to a remote scientific outpost on a mountain range near the port we were docked at. We got up there, only to discover the company who owned the research station had taken a page out of Michael Crichton's handbook and decided to bring back a species of extinct aliens that nearly wiped out all life thousands of years ago."

Hannah was shocked, "You mean...they really-"

Jessica cut her off, "Yeah, and that's not nearly the worst part. Half my team was seriously wounded trying to get rid of those things. Only I, Liara, and two other marines were still able to fight after that." Jessica breathed out again and continued, "After we regrouped, we found Benezia. She...was not who Liara remembered from before. She was cold. She was harsh. She was ready to kill us all, even Liara. And worse? She had a team of asari commandos with her, along with a full squad of Geth."

Hannah visibly paled at the thought of her daughter having to face such odds, but did not interrupt and her daughter continued the story.

Jessica explained, "It wasn't as bad as you might think. Geth are not really too hard to kill, and asari commandos, at least the ones we fought, were not nearly as dangerous as I always believed them to be. Anyway, after we finished them off, we went to face Benezia... only she was as strong as we were lead to believe. In the space of a few seconds, she put the marines I had with me in a stasis field, pulled me over to her and pinned me against a wall, and was about to biotically punch my face into oblivion."

Hannah nearly choked, "So what happened?"

Jessica answered quietly, "Liara. All through the fight she was always hanging back. She could fight Geth easily enough, but her own people? Her own mother?" Jessica shook her head, "I didn't blame her, and we seemed to be doing a good job, until Benezia that is."

She looked her mother in her eyes and revealed, "Just as I'm about to die, Liara comes up behind her mother and puts three rounds into her back; Benezia went down. We tried to save her-"

Hannah asked aghast, "Save her? She tried to kill you!"

Jessica explained Indoctrination then. How it wasn't Benezia's fault that she was the way she was. How she had tried to help when she could. She told her mother that Benezia's last words to her daughter were of how proud she was of her. Of how Liara cried after her mother had finally succumbed to her wounds.

Hannah just sat there and listened to it all. She was stunned someone so... innocent and as awkward as Liara seemed could be capable of doing what she did.

Jessica excused herself then to go and get Liara. Hannah just nodded in acknowledgement, still deep in thought.

_That woman, capable of all that? How?_

Hannah just sat in wonder at the asari her daughter was dating and waited for them to return.

* * *

Liara sat on a bench looking at the nearby fountain. She had long since stopped crying, but that had not made the memories go away. Liara honestly wondered if her memories would ever stop haunting her. She knew she had no choice in her actions; that she and Jessica both would be dead now if she hadn't done what she did, but that didn't make her feel any better.

"Do you want to go back inside?"

Liara turned to her left and saw Jessica. The human had a look of concern on her face as she placed a hand on her lover's shoulder in a show of support, "You know, we can leave if you want."

Liara stood and shook her head, "I am fine Jessica. I just...needed some time. I'm sorry if-"

Shepard hugged her, "Hey, you have nothing to be sorry about. What happened...shouldn't have. You never should have been put in that situation to begin with."

Liara nodded, "I know. But, you still have your mother and I will not be the reason your reunion is cut short. Let's go."

The two headed back inside and sat down just in time for the waiter to deliver their drinks and apologize for the long wait. They quickly ordered their food and resumed their conversations.

Hannah, whom Liara saw had changed her expression from one of seeming unease to one of curiosity with a hint of awkwardness, asked a question Liara suspected she had waited to ask all night, "Um, Jess, please forgive me if this is personal but...how long have you been um...attracted...to females?"

Jessica seemed almost taken aback by the question. For a few moments she seemed unsure of how to respond and Liara simply knew this would end horribly for everyone involved.

After taking a few moments to compose herself, Jessica finally asked, "What um…what do you mean, mom?"

Hannah stated, "Exactly what I just said. You've never been interested in women before, why would now be any different?"

Liara was about to explain that fact that she was not really a woman due to her species not having a male equivalent when Jessica responded, "Mom I've...I've always found women attractive. You...you really didn't know?"

Hannah looked shocked, "What? When did you ever date a woman? All I remember is you going out with boys."

Jessica sighed, "Yeah, but I went out with girls too. What about Alex? Don't you remember her? I dated her for nearly two years when I was in high school."

Hannah shook her head, 'No, I was...on deployment for most of those years. That was around the time Mindoir was attacked, right?"

Jessica nodded, "Yeah. And don't you remember Jessie? I was about ready to get married to her until Akuze happened."

Hannah was just sitting still by this point, her voice barely a whisper, "No. I never met Jessie remember? We were going to meet him, or her that is, after your next mission. Only…"

Jessica nodded, "Yeah. Only that next mission. Well…"

Liara once again felt like she would rather be anywhere else in the galaxy than here. This was a conversation she didn't necessarily understand the significance of since she couldn't understand why it mattered what gender someone's lover was, but she still recognized it as a

private conversation between the two.

_Dear Goddess, this is a complete disaster._

Hannah recovered from her shock a bit and said to nobody in particular, "God, what have I missed? I traded a career for a daughter I don't know and a husband I barely remember."

When neither of them seemed likely to say something Liara tentatively asked, "Captain Shepard, I understand that there are many humans that do not like the notion of humans being with non-humans, but why does it matter if one human female is involved with another?"

Hannah snapped her head back at the asari and Liara immediately regretted asking the question.

Hannah didn't seem bothered though. In fact, the look on her face was nearly regretful, "It...it doesn't. Not anymore. At least not in most places. It's just that...well." Hannah took a long sip of her wine and answered, "You see, I never spent too much time at home Liara. My husband decided I would be the one to focus on my career while he raised Jess.

"I was gone for so long that, well, I guess I never really got a chance to get to know my daughter. What her hobbies were, what kind of people she liked to date," Hannah looked at her child, "I just realized I hardly know anything about you, Jessica."

Before Jessica could respond Hannah looked over again at Liara, "And as for you, well…"

Liara flinched under the words, but Hannah continued to talk, "Please, hear me out. I don't want you to think of me as some Terra Firma bigot. I have nothing against Asari, Turians, or any other species. That fact that my daughter has an alien as a girlfriend means jack shit to me. I'm sure you are a wonderful person Liara, it's just…"

Hannah looked down at her lap and looked visibly upset, "It's just this is all coming to me as a shock is all. When Jessica said she had swooped some asari off her feet I didn't know what to think. I always thought she would find some nice marine, settle down, and keep this little tradition of ours going."

She looked at her daughter with a sad smile on her face, "Not what I wanted mind you, just what I thought would happen."

Jessica nodded, her face expressionless, "And now that it hasn't?"

Hannah shrugged, "I...don't know? This whole thing is so new to me, I honestly don't know where to begin." She turned to Liara and asked, "Could we just start over? I really hope I haven't offended you, Liara. I just...Well, this is not what I was expecting would happen."

Liara felt so many things in that moment. Relief that Jessica's mother was accepting of her. Happiness that there was still a chance to have a relationship with this woman whom her lover cared about and respected so greatly. And finally, excitement at the chance to build something between the three of them; a real family. Something Liara suspected was among the things none of them ever really had before.

Liara reached over and put her hand atop Hannah's, "You have not offended me, Hannah. Of course we can start again. Why don't we begin by you telling us about what has happened over the last few weeks with you and your ship? I understand you were promoted recently?"

Hannah smiled and laughed a bit, "Not quite a promotion, no. You see, the captain of my ship was killed during the battle and I had to take over…"

The three talked for hours, none of them noticing when their food came an hour after they had ordered it. They were all too busy telling about heroic battles fought on far away planets, ancient alien discoveries made, and the struggles of managing thousands of sailors and marines on one of the largest ships in the human fleet. In all, by the end of the evening, Liara was very glad she had agreed to attend the dinner.

When it was all over, after the manager insisted that there be no charge due to the horrible service presented to a uniformed military member, Hannah asked her daughter what her plans were.

Jessica smiled, put her hand over Liara's, and answered, "We've got two weeks before we have to leave. We were going to take the time to see Earth. Liara and I want to visit as much of the planet as possible. Never really had the chance before."

Hannah tentatively asked, "If I'm not imposing, could I spend some of that time with you two? I think tonight woke me up to just how much I really need to spend some time with my daughter before duty pulls us apart again."

Before Jessica could respond, Liara answered, "We would love to see more of you before we leave, Hannah. I am very much looking forward to getting to know you better." The asari squeezed her lover's hand and smiled at her, Shepard quickly returning the gesture.

Hannah smiled, "Excellent. I'll give you a call tomorrow then, if that's alright Jess?"

The younger Shepard smiled, "Of course, mom. See you tomorrow."

In the car ride home Liara felt Jessica's hand on her thigh and heard her lover say, "You see? I told you mom would love you."

Liara nodded, "Yes I was perhaps a bit too anxious about it. I am relieved that she accepted me, despite the start to our evening being less than ideal, and glad that we got to see her."

Liara felt at peace now for the first time in a long time. She was so happy that her lover's mother was as nice as Jessica had said. Liara was sure it wouldn't be long before they were well and truly family. Until such times as she was ready to admit those feelings however, Liara was content to just let the universe decide what happened to her.

Shepard smiled, "Me too." She looked over to the asari, "So, Liara, you really think I look good in this uniform?"

Liara nodded, "Very much so. It is honestly very hard for me to not look at you when you are in that."

Shepard grinned, "Then how about we see how long it takes you to peel me out of it?"

Liara blushed as Jessica increased the car's speed to return more quickly to the hotel.


End file.
